Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Syria
Syria: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 27.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
27.9%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
138th
of 218 countries
All-time high
60.0%
in 1960
All-time low
24.0%
in 2014
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Syria, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Syria is 27.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Syria peaked at 60.0% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 24.0%, in 2014.
That places Syria 138th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Syria, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 60.0% | — |
| 1961 | 59.6% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 59.3% | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 59.0% | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 58.6% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 58.3% | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 58.0% | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 57.6% | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 57.3% | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 57.0% | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 56.6% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 56.2% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 55.9% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 55.5% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 55.2% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 54.8% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 54.5% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 54.2% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 53.9% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 53.6% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 53.3% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 53.0% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 52.7% | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 52.5% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 52.3% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 52.1% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 51.9% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 51.7% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 51.5% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 51.4% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 51.2% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 51.0% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 50.7% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 50.5% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 50.2% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 50.0% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 49.6% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 49.3% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 48.9% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 48.5% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 48.1% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 47.7% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 47.3% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 46.9% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 46.5% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 46.2% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 45.9% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 45.7% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 45.4% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 45.0% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 44.3% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 41.5% | -6.3% |
| 2012 | 34.9% | -15.9% |
| 2013 | 26.9% | -22.8% |
| 2014 | 24.0% | -10.9% |
| 2015 | 24.2% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 24.8% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 25.5% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 25.9% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 26.2% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 26.6% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 27.0% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 27.4% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 27.8% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 27.9% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 27.9% | -0.0% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 27.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 65.5%, 43% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 27.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 20.5%, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 58.5% | 57.0% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 55.0% | 53.6% | 56.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.2% | 51.4% | 53.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.0% | 48.5% | 51.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.5% | 45.0% | 48.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.8% | 24.0% | 44.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.4% | 26.6% | 27.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More agriculture & rural data for Syria
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.2063 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.5652 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0006 hectares per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.5246 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 76.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.4285 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 452.85 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 3.81 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Syria?
- Rural population in Syria was 27.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 60.0% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.0% in 2014.
- How does Syria rank for rural population?
- Syria ranks 138th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.